The 17th International Conference on Innovation & Management (ICIM2020) was successfully held online on 5 December 2020. The conference is held annually and is an international association conference accredited by ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association). This year's conference, themed "Human-Centered Innovation", was co-hosted by Chengdu University of Information Technology and Wuhan University of Technology, and co-organised by the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and other national universities.

Affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, the conference was held online, with more than 60 experts and scholars from the Wuhan University of Technology, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia participating in the academic exchange online. The conference focused on topics of current global concern such as epidemic disaster and social innovation, artificial intelligence and ethics, digital industry and green development, and conducted interdisciplinary academic discussions on the innovation mechanism of human society, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of development in different regions and fields.

In her opening speech, Professor Huang Ping, Dean of the School of Management, Chengdu University of Information Technology, extended a warm welcome to the experts and scholars from around the world. She said that the epidemic had prevented experts and scholars from meeting face-to-face, but that the theme of the conference, " Human-Centered Innovation ", was more valuable and meaningful than at any other time in history, and that she was confident that the conference would provide valuable insights and solutions to current and future problems.

Professor Chen Xiaofang, Dean of the School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Professor Arnoldo de Hoyos of the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, and Dr. Mohammad Ali Tareq of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia spoke at the opening ceremony. They all agreed that the international conference is of special significance in bringing people together and they hope to work together to contribute valuable ideas and experience to the development of human society.

Li Guiqing, Song Xueqian, He Yuan, Chen Jing, Guo Xirong, Zhao Wei, Zeng Xiaohui, Liu Kanning, Wang Jing, Liu Ting, Xie Yu, Long Huayue, Luo Jian, Liu Ruihan, Xia Huijun and other teachers and postgraduate student representatives from the Chengdu University of Information Technology participated in the conference and gave keynote presentations.

At the closing ceremony, Professor Huang Ping announced that the 18th International Conference on Innovation & Management (ICIM 2021) will be hosted by the Chengdu University of Information Technology in 2021, with the theme of "Technological civilization & Management innovation". As the Chengdu University of Information Technology celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2021, Professor Huang Ping warmly welcomes experts and scholars from all over the world to meet in Chengdu, China, on 28 October 2021, looking forward to high-level academic exchanges and high-quality international research collaborations.